The Arkansas State Medical Board is responsible to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Arkansas with the goal that all citizens are provided with the highest quality health care. The Board is empowered to license and regulate the practice of medicine in Arkansas which includes medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, physician assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, respiratory therapists, radiology practitioner assistants, and medical corporations.

The Arkansas State Medical Board’s 2010 Annual Report reported that there were 8,742 medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy licensed in Arkansas in 2010, with 487 newly licensed (5,851 of the total were in-state). The Board also reported that there were a total of 190 physician assistants licensed by Arkansas (23 were newly licensed); there were a total of 1,162 occupational therapists licensed (80 were newly licensed); and, 1,843 respiratory care therapists (89 newly licensed).

During 2010, there were 416 complaints involving licensees investigated and 125 other issues involving licensees handled by the Board. The Board took the following actions during 2010: 11 suspensions, 5 revocations, 3 revocations stayed, 6 licenses surrendered, 2 reprimands, and 13 consent orders issued (there were no probations issued by the Board during 2010).

Public Citizen, which was founded in 1971 by Ralph Nader to represent consumer interests through lobbying, litigation, research, and public education and fights for consumer rights in the marketplace, safe and affordable health care, campaign finance reform, fair trade, clean and safe energy sources, and corporate and government accountability, issued a report in 2003 entitled, “Medical Misdiagnosis in Arkansas: Challenging the Medical Malpractice Claims of the Doctors’ Lobby.”

Highlights of the Report include: it is estimated that medical errors cause between 418 to 931 preventable deaths in Arkansas each year; that although the cost of preventable medical errors to Arkansas citizens is estimated between $161 million to $275 million per year, the cost of medical malpractice insurance for Arkansas doctors is less than $40 million per year; malpractice insurance premiums for doctors in Arkansas were among the lowest of all of the U.S. states; large medical malpractice awards in Arkansas are very rare — the level of medical malpractice awards have remained relatively stable; medical malpractice payments in Arkansas have increased at a slower pace than national medical costs; the median malpractice payment by physicians in Arkansas is below the national average; the number of doctors in Arkansas has been increasing; doctors in Arkansas with more than one medical malpractice claim against them are responsible for the bulk of medical malpractice costs — less than 1% of Arkansas doctors have three or more paid medical malpractice claims against them but are responsible for 20.3% of all medical malpractice payments; only 15 of the 153 physicians in Arkansas who had two or more medical malpractice payments made on their behalf since 1990 had been disciplined by the Arkansas State Medical Board and only 14% of the Arkansas doctors who had three or more medical malpractice payments made on their behalf were subject to discipline by the Board.

When the medical malpractice negligence committed by a doctor or other medical provider in Arkansas (or in any other U.S. state) has caused serious injuries or death to patients, the victims or survivors of the medical malpractice may be entitled to compensation for their losses, their pain and suffering, and their mental anguish. Our website can help connect you wth medical malpractice lawyers in your state who may be able to help you with your medical malpractice claim. If you prefer, our toll free telephone number is 800-295-3959.